Can you tell me a bit about your background and your role at Calian? 

I helped design and build a software solution that helps us build complex training environments. I’ve been with Calian for 17 years now, across various technical roles. Currently, I’m the Emerging Technologies Leader under the Chief Information & Technology Officer. 

Earlier on in my Calian career, I spent more than a decade working at the Canadian Army Simulation Centre (CASC), designing and building multiple tools to improve their military training and day-to-day operations, from simulation traffic filtering to exercise administrative and development solutions.  

Throughout my career, I’ve also worked for several other organizations including research and development, educational and government institutions, and businesses of different shapes and sizes. 

How is your role linked with Canadian national defence? 

I helped design and develop MaestroEDE™, an advanced E3D military software solution that Calian created in collaboration with the Canadian Army. This innovative platform empowers exercise developers to design, build and execute large-scale training events and exercises seamlessly. MaestroEDE aligns with both Canadian and NATO 5-step systems approaches to training—and specifically addresses Canada’s training requirements, including support for multinational military exercises. 

How does your role support the security of Canada and the rest of the world? 

When our military can conduct more effective training using our technology, then they are more prepared to tackle the challenges in today’s world. My role has been to build tools that help create an immersive experience. It is a massive team effort, and our technology is used by our experienced veterans, who bring vast amounts of expertise to the table.  

Tell us more about MaestroEDE and your involvement in this software. 

I designed and built this software with my colleague Dave Chupick back in 2016, and then field-tested and deployed it in 2019. I led the technical effort, while Dave—one of our most experienced military training experts—was the project manager. 

What distinguishes MaestroEDE is its collaborative development process, shaped by input from our team and aligned with training delivery needs. Additionally, we continuously enhance MaestroEDE’s functionalities to align with the expanding needs of our client base. For instance, we recently integrated an AI virtual assistant to partially automate exercise development, streamlining the process and saving valuable time and effort. 

What is your favourite part of your job? 

I love connecting with our experts and translating their vision and needs into technology that can dramatically improve training. We have great people who lead this training, and I love working with them and empowering them through technology. 

How does your work at Calian fit with your view of your place in the world? 

It has always been extremely important that my work has purpose—and there is no greater purpose to me than helping those that stand up for our democratic values. To be able to support that in my own unique way is something that brings a lot of meaning to me. I also come from a military family, so I suppose that value is something that I grew up around. 

What are you looking forward to at CANSEC? 

I look forward to showing off where we are with our AI Copilot in MaestroEDE. We’re also starting to do some interesting things where we can interact with the synthetic environment through some of our other tools. We have a big vision for what is possible, and we’re driven to see how artificial intelligence can fundamentally change how training is designed, developed and delivered. 

What do you enjoying doing outside of work? 

I cherish time with friends and family. Whether it’s enjoying a whiskey with friends in the garage or a family trip abroad, I enjoy connecting with the people who mean the most to me. As for hobbies, I like to work on old cars, play golf with friends and shop for unusual antiques. I love old photos that can tell a story about the past.